Madrid cool Ribery interest

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has cast doubt on his side’s prospects of signing Bayern Munich playmaker Franck Ribery.

France international Ribery, along with Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo and David Villa of Valencia, is viewed as one of the potential new wave of ’galacticos’ by Perez who began his high-profile recruitment drive with the capture of Kaka on Monday.

Bayern are reluctant to part with their prized asset, however, and have slapped a prohibitive €100m price tag on Ribery’s head in a bid to ward off likely suitors, with Chelsea also reportedly tracking the player.

The German club’s message appears to have got through to Perez, who conceded in an interview with Spanish radio programme ’Radiogaceta de los Deportes’ that a deal would not be pursued while Bayern remain reluctant to sell.

“Ribery belongs to Bayern and [the club] does not want to sell,” he said.

“Therefore I have to be respectful to the club.

“It is another thing if they change their mind.”